Swamp Milkweed Flower

Asclepias incarnata

American Beauties®

Essential Monarch Butterfly Host Plant with Fragrant Pink Pom-Pom Blooms
Cold Hardy: Thrives in Zones 3-6
Grows 4-5 ft Tall, 2-3 ft Wide
Showy Pink, White Blooms From Late Summer to Early Fall
Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant

$54⁸⁴

Shipping calculated at checkout.

In Stock

Enter your ZIP code to check shipping availability.

Plant Size

#2 Container

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: Aim for at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun daily for the best bloom production. While it survives in partial shade, the stems often become floppy and the flower clusters will be much smaller.
Soil: This plant thrives in heavy clay or silty soils that stay naturally moist. If you have sandy soil, mix in plenty of organic compost or peat moss to help the ground retain the moisture these roots crave.

Watering Requirements

Keep the soil consistently wet during the first growing season to help the plant establish its deep root system. While mature plants can handle average garden moisture, they will drop their lower leaves or stop blooming if the soil dries out completely. Think of this plant like a sponge that needs to stay damp to support its lush foliage and nectar-heavy flowers.

Pruning Tips

Swamp Milkweed blooms on new wood, so you should cut the dead stalks down to the ground in late winter or very early spring. This annual clearing makes room for fresh shoots and helps prevent any lingering pests or diseases from the previous year. You can also pinch back the tips of the stems in late spring to encourage a bushier shape and more flower heads.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a light application of balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a layer of compost once every spring as new growth emerges. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers because they produce soft, succulent growth that attracts aphids and causes the stems to fall over. Keeping the nutrition moderate ensures the plant stays sturdy and focuses its energy on producing flowers rather than just excess leaves.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Cold hardy, Low Maintenance, Native, Flowering, Fragrant, Deer-resistant, Wet Soils, Attracts pollinators, Attracts Butterflies, Non-invasive
Hardiness Zone	3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Sunlight	Full sun, Partial shade
Height	4-5 ft
Width	2-3 ft
Watering Needs	High
Preferred Soil	Clay, Loamy, Peaty
Growth Rate	Moderate
Growth Habit	Compact, Upright
Plant Life Cycle	Perennial
Blooms In	Fall, Summer
Flower Color	Pink, White
Foliage Color	Green
Fragrant	Yes
Native	Yes
Pet Safety	Toxic to pets
Suitable Space	Outdoors
Botanical Name	Asclepias incarnata
Species	incarnata
Class	Magnoliopsida
Does Not Ship To	AK, HI, ID, MT, PR

Showy Monarch Butterfly Host Plant, turn your plain landscape into a gorgeous habitat for butterflies! The Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a native perennial that makes it easy! Milkweed's fragrant, bright pink, and white pom-pom blooms are composed of many dozens of small flowers.

You'll love the wildflower clusters in summer! Look closely to study each five-petaled true flower with its range of colors from pink to mauve into white. Smell their sweet and spicy honey-scented fragrance, too. They'll perfume your yard and boost your mood like "living aromatherapy"!

This native choice supports beneficial pollinators and butterflies with nutrient-rich nectar for several months as midsummer heats up. The garden will dance with these visitors, and every minute brings a rewarding experience for mindful watchers. Swamp Milkweed are very important host plants for Monarch caterpillars. Watch for Monarch chrysalis hanging below the undersides of the long, lance-shaped leaves.

Swamp Milkweed does take its time leafing out in spring, but once it gets going the six-inch, lance-leaf foliage will fill out your plant nicely. This native Milkweed is hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3 to 6 and grows up to 4-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. There are no significant insect or disease issues with the Swamp Milkweed either! The white milky sap inside the leaves and stems is bitter and avoided by deer and rabbits, but loved by beneficial insects!

Planting and Application:

Swamp Milkweed is an attractive, herbaceous perennial that would be perfect for those difficult, low spots in your yard, as it thrives in moist conditions. You can easily incorporate this helpful plant as a lively addition to your perennial borders. Use them in planned Rain Gardens to help filter potentially polluted water runoff from roofs and streets.

This moisture-loving selection develops into a uniquely valuable "must-have '' for your Butterfly Garden! If you love butterflies, it's a great way to attract them, and Monarchs are especially fond of Milkweed. It is often planted specifically to encourage Monarchs in a region. Plant several in drifts through the center of your plantings.

Prepare to be thrilled and amazed at the amount of "flying flowers'' that you'll see working these tiny flowers over each day. Butterflies, moths, and beneficial pollinators cherish these nectar resources! Give kids and garden visitors a delightful tour through our natural world. Nature Hills is so pleased to offer this special clump-forming perennial...along with many other native wildflowers.

Milkweed contains natural compounds like cardenolides, which protect the baby caterpillars from being eaten by birds. You'll love seeing the cute black, white, and yellow caterpillars munching away on your plants!

If you grow your own food as part of an Edible Landscape, you'll definitely want to grow Swamp Milkweed near your Victory Garden to encourage pollinators to come explore your vegetables and orchards.

After the flowers have faded, Swamp Milkweed forms eye-catching four-inch pods that are a favorite of young and old alike. Once ripe, they'll split to release the brown seeds...using silky white plumes to catch the wind and reach new destinations.

These pretty blooming perennials shouldn't be considered weeds. Sticks and stones! Sure, they perform really well and can spread here and there in your yard, but you can control their self-seeding and spread by cutting off the pods before they split open. Dry them for gorgeous seasonal arrangements that last all winter long as an effective, charming method of size control!

Others encourage their growth and spend happy moments blowing their seeds to new parts of the yard. Your friends may beg you for some of the pods, too!

Wildcrafters and homesteaders can research an amazing variety of uses. In its various stages, Milkweed pods are used as a nematode insecticide, as an adhesive, and even as a poison ivy treatment.

Bold Pink Flowers in Round Clusters
Fragrant Blooms Last for Months!
Excellent Host Plant for Monarch Butterfly Larvae
Exceptional Nectar Resource
Rugged Wildflower & Wetland Native
Pollinator & Native Gardens, Naturalized & Prairie Plantings

#ProPlantTips for Care:

As its name implies, erect-branching perennial Swamp Milkweeds love moist, swampy conditions! They'll also adapt to well-drained areas with consistent moisture. You'll get the best performance with a planting site in full sun because Swamp Milkweed needs at least six hours of sunlight a day.

Ideally, they love a place that stays a bit damp. Why not decorate the area around your drain spout or create a Rain Garden with their help? This water lover needs a consistent schedule of water all season. Add a three-inch layer of mulch to cover the root system and reduce surface evaporation.

Please leave the stalks standing overwinter, as they provide valuable shelter, then cut down the stalks to an inch high in early spring.

Full Sun
Moderate to Moist Soil Conditions
Valuable Plant Grows Almost Anywhere Well-Drained
Very Cold Hardy!
Deer Seldom Damage This Choice

You'll be proud to plant hardy native Swamp Milkweed plants, sourced from our native plant experts. Order this excellent addition for your landscape from Nature Hills today!

Free shipping

On all orders over $199
Plant Sentry™

Compliant guaranteed
Easy returns

Hassle free returns policy
Live Chat

Talk to a real person

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of soil does Swamp Milkweed need, and does it tolerate average garden soil?

Swamp Milkweed thrives in moist, wet conditions and is perfect for those difficult low spots in your yard. While it prefers consistently moist soil, it will tolerate average garden conditions once established. Plant it in areas that stay naturally damp or incorporate it into rain gardens for best results.

How much water does Swamp Milkweed require, and is it drought-tolerant once established?

Swamp Milkweed thrives in consistently moist conditions and is not drought-tolerant. This native perennial excels in low, wet spots and rain gardens where other plants struggle. Keep soil consistently moist for best performance. Find quality Swamp Milkweed plants at naturehills.com.

Is Swamp Milkweed a host plant for monarch butterflies?

Yes, Swamp Milkweed is a vital host plant where Monarch caterpillars feed and develop. You'll often find Monarch chrysalis hanging beneath the lance-shaped leaves. Plant this native perennial in zones 3-6 to create essential breeding habitat for Monarchs in your garden.

How do I care for Swamp Milkweed in its first year to help it establish?

Swamp Milkweed takes time to leaf out in spring but establishes well in moist conditions. Plant in consistently moist soil and be patient through its slow spring emergence. Water regularly the first season and avoid disturbing the roots as it develops its deep taproot system.

Will Swamp Milkweed spread aggressively or form clumps?

Swamp Milkweed forms well-behaved clumps rather than spreading aggressively, reaching 4-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. This native perennial stays put in zones 3-6, making it perfect for borders and butterfly gardens. Shop at Nature Hills for reliable clump-forming plants.

How is Swamp Milkweed shipped—bare root, potted, or seeds—and when can it ship?

Swamp Milkweed typically ships as potted plants in spring through early fall when soil temperatures are favorable for establishment. Since this perennial is slow to leaf out in spring, plan for late spring through summer planting in zones 3-6. Order early for best selection and optimal planting timing.

How do I prune Swamp Milkweed to encourage more blooms and prevent flopping?

Pinch back Swamp Milkweed stems by one-third in late May to early June to prevent the 4-5 foot tall plants from flopping over. This technique also encourages bushier growth and more blooms throughout summer. Cut spent flowers regularly to extend the blooming period.

Can Swamp Milkweed survive colder winters, and how hardy is it in zones 3 or 4?

Swamp Milkweed is extremely cold hardy, thriving in USDA zones 3-6 including harsh northern winters. This native perennial dies back completely in fall and emerges late in spring, so don't worry if it's slow to appear. Plant it in fall for best establishment before winter.